Boehner: I disagree with Palin about impeaching Obama

posted at 12:41 pm on July 9, 2014 by Allahpundit

Via CNS News. Byron York had a post this morning wondering if Boehner would take impeachment off the table for Obama the same way Pelosi did for Bush despite the clamoring on the left at the time. Answer: Yes, of course! That’s the whole point of Boehner’s lawsuit, right? He wants to do something bold to show conservatives that he’s resisting Obama’s power grabs, but not so bold that it’ll blow up in the GOP’s face in November. The lawsuit is the perfect gesture. It gives him an excuse to rail against executive overreach publicly while booting the disposition of the matter to the courts. If they rule against him, it’s the judiciary’s fault, not his. And if it takes a year or more for the case to wend its way up to the Supreme Court, even better. It’s off his plate, which is what’s important. (Said Palin to Hannity last night, “You don’t bring a lawsuit to a gunfight, and there’s no room for lawyers on our front lines.”) For him to turn around and agree with Palin on impeachment after all that would be bizarre. Why pursue a circuitous legal route to rein in Obama if he’s prepared to try to remove him from office entirely?

Republican Iowa U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst attempted Tuesday night to walk back statements made at a January event in which she said President Barack Obama had “become a dictator” who should be “removed from office” or face “impeachment.”…

“To be clear, I have not seen any evidence that the President should be impeached,” the statement read…

“I was asked a question involving a hypothetical about what I thought should happen if the Supreme Court ruled that the president had committed an ‘abuse of power.’ Obviously if the Supreme Court were to ever rule that the President of the United States had abused their power, that would be a very serious charge,” Ernst said in the statement. “I responded by saying that if the court in fact made such a ruling, that the president should face the necessary repercussions. I would give the same answer about any president, Republican or Democrat.”

There are, surely, some GOPers in Congress willing to agree publicly with Palin that Obama must go. Just don’t expect it from anyone who’s running for office in a state or district where Republicans winning the general election is in the tiniest bit of doubt. Exit question: Could Boehner’s impeachment-avoidance strategy end up backfiring if he loses his lawsuit? Imagine a federal judge rules that the House’s dispute with O over executive power is a political question that should either be decided by the people at the polls or by the people’s representatives through their Article I powers — which, of course, includes impeachment. The courts will have essentially punted this issue back to Boehner and told him, a la Erick Erickson, to man up and accept the political risk of trying to remove the president if he’s allegedly so troubled by executive overreach. What’s Boehner’s move then? Use the power of the purse to choke off funding for Obama’s priorities and quietly ignore impeachment altogether, right?

Here’s the clip from this morning’s House leadership presser. Boehner’s facial expressions when the subject is raised are comedy gold.

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Comments

No candidate is going to want her endorsement now. They will not publicly say they are for impeachment.

It’s been a nice run Sarah. Good luck.

Obama and the GOPe are jumping with glee today.

faraway on July 9, 2014 at 1:00 PM

My God, but she scares the crap out of you, doesn’t she? I would give all I own and Barack’s ballz to see you face to face with Sarah Palin discussing this very issue. It would look much like Ralph Kramden, I’d wager: “hominna, hominna, hommina…”

Sarah Palin has more power among the right than any other politician, male OR female. And she is usually correct, as well. You republicans are NOT conservatives, however, and her presence simply terrifies y’all.

Geez, all the guy said was fight smarter. Was your point to tell him that it’s all hopeless?

thebrokenrattle on July 9, 2014 at 4:03 PM

LOL. Yeah, I guess so. I had some faith in changing things when the TEA Party movement got going. In fact, that was the first time I had been so excited about being part of a political movement. Not saying the TEA Party is dead, but the lack of support from most conservative Americans who actually believe in what we were saying, the lack of support from the GOP, the dearth of “blue dog” Democrats and Libertarians taking part, and the lambasting from the LSM has lead me to believe it’s not going to be the solution.

But, yes, we should fight smarter. But, we won’t. We have to collectively say “NO” to these SOBs. I’m thinking along the lines of a national strike, and not just of the movers and shakers like in Atlas Shrugged but us average Joes. Still, I have no doubt that they have the power to pick us off (so to speak) one by one. Judging from what I’ve heard about the Weather Underground meetings (and some years of listening to Bill Cooper), I don’t think they’d have any problem in rounding up literally millions of us if we didn’t go along with their program.

—–

Exactly. Obama is collapsing from his own policies. We just keep spreading the sunlight over the cockroaches.

We don’t need to do anything to stop this process.

faraway on July 9, 2014 at 4:04 PM

Oh, I agree. We have to do what we can to not let these scandals get buried and point out to our Obama-loving friends, family and acquaintances what a crook this guy is.

But, I don’t think it begins or ends with Obama. Maybe with even a RINO up there, we’ll get at least some temporary relief from all this Marxist nonsense.

I have been around here much longer than you may think, pal. Trust me…A ‘Palinista’ you are not.

You may have been on her band wagon when you were in support of McCain, but your posts over the past several weeks belie your claim to be a supporter of hers.

Finally, you seem to be the only poster who has taken issue with any of my comments and none have yet to call me an idiot, save our usual trolls and yourself. I have, however, noticed many taking you to task for your kowtowing to the RINOs and those afflicted with Palin Derangement Syndrome.

But rock on, dude. Doing nothing is a sure fire way to show your approval of the choom gang…

1) Elections (no more for Barry, so that’s out).
2) Power of the purse (that was taken off the table EARLY by the Repubs for fear of “shudder” govt. shutdown!
3) Impeachment (now taken off the table).

Boner’s lawsuit is an ineffectual joke that is all appearance, no substance – that would only be resolved long after Barry leaves office, and then has to be enforced by the Executive Branch, i.e. Barry/President. It allows Boner to appear to “do something” without actually doing something.

I admit impeachment is a tough sell, not because Barry doesn’t deserve it (Oh BOY does he deserve it) but because he’s “half-black”, a liberal and has the media and the Dems on his side – he would get impeached because no one has the guts to do the right thing, only the “political thing”. It’s why this nation is finished.

Try not to be stupid. Democratic Senators will NEVER allow Obama to be removed, it would alienate black voters they must have to be competitive nationally and in most states.

~

The ONLY thing impeachment could achieve is generating energy in the Democratic base and sympathy among the fence-sitters. Most of those who disapprove of Obama in polls do NOT want him impeached (many voted for him and can’t face the reality of their decisions).

~

Clinton was unpopular, too, and lost ground as the Lewinsky scandal broke – UNTIL impeachment proceedings began. He ended the scandal more popular than before it.

Impeachment is pointless unless you have the votes in the Senate to remove him.

Captain Kirock on July 9, 2014 at 4:20 PM

It’s a political decision that the country has to support, and you can’t get support for it (that influences elected officials) unless you raise it, discuss it, and SELL IT. I’m not gonna jump on a bandwagon without hearing the details, so if the Repubs think its warranted (and it is), they need to quit living in fear of the “racist” boogeyman and, like, grow a spine.

So openly and incessantly discuss the merits of the charges against Barry, over and over like the libs do. Taking it off the table or slandering it yourself as “crazy” means not talking about it, which means giving his offenses a pass.

The Repubs don’t want to lay the groundwork for anything but amnesty. If it isn’t ready-made and put in their lap they won’t waste their time on it. And even then they’ll f’ it up.

“To be clear, I have not seen any evidence that the President should be impeached,”

So the allegations that will appear in Bonehead’s lawsuit are bad enough to warrant some sort of judicial remedy, but are not actually impeachable offenses? Why can’t these people simply articulate the political realities against conviction in a Democrat controlled Senate, while still allowing that Obama’s actions are very likely impeachable? That posture would allow the Palin-like drumbeat to continue to build with time at the constituent level, instead of throwing orange crush on the developing case for impeachment.

Let’s see. On the one hand, we could go with impeachment, which would shock the most important people in Washington, the liberal media, and force the Senate Democrats to explain why ignoring the laws and encouraging illegal aliens to cross the border at will is NOT a serious breach of public trust by the president.

Or we could file a lawsuit in hopes of getting a judge to agree that Obama is really not doing his job like he should. Because we all know, when a federal judge makes a statement that Obama doesn’t like, he stumbles all over himself to comply.

Ultimately, they have to be cut off from funds (taxes). The Beast must be fed (including blood sacrifices from time to time) or it will die.

But this is where I get confused-is bureaucracy truly a monolith monster or are there various sects within?

At some point, even Rome had to stop collecting taxes as it collapsed. I wonder what percent of the landowners/senators kept their lands anyway and became part of the new Gothic aristocracy? Who, of course, began collecting their own taxes, collapse or not.

But at least that was in the form of silver and gold. Fiat currency changes that quite a bit.

I think that overall the Beast (bureaucracy) has no intention of dying, but that doesn’t preclude individuals for having exit strategies, just in case.

If there is total economic collapse, I guess they have two options. One would be to simply reboot the fiat system and start all over again. Most would find comfort in that perceived security and buy into it.

Or…if not that, what’s left to tax? I suppose our possessions, any PMs, jewelry, food, ammo, weapons, liquor, property etc. (taxes in kind in other words) we may hold and possibly our very labor like back in pre-Revolution France.

#1 This isn’t the ’90s
#2 Obama is not Clinton
#3 Having a public debate about the merits of impeachment does not equate actually filing articles of impeachment and following through to the Senate trial
#4 Just the discussion alone can force all Democrats and media types (birm)to explain why his offenses are really no big deal therefore putting them all on the defensive
#6 The totality of all of Obama’s dereliction of duty offenses can be enumerated and hammered over and over together, thus see #5

What is wrong with any of that?

Why is the sky falling on our heads because of one op-ed at Breitbart?

What is wrong with this discussion happening now, months before any votes are cast?

Somebody has to speak the truth without diluting it for the sake of the damned NRSC et. al.

#1 This isn’t the ’90s
#2 Obama is not Clinton
#3 Having a public debate about the merits of impeachment does not equate actually filing articles of impeachment and following through to the Senate trial
#4 Just the discussion alone can force all Democrats and media types (birm)to explain why his offenses are really no big deal therefore putting them all on the defensive
#6 The totality of all of Obama’s dereliction of duty offenses can be enumerated and hammered over and over together, thus see #5

What is wrong with any of that?

Why is the sky falling on our heads because of one op-ed at Breitbart?

What is wrong with this discussion happening now, months before any votes are cast?

Somebody has to speak the truth without diluting it for the sake of the damned NRSC et. al.

Brian1972 on July 9, 2014 at 5:06 PM

All of this is lost on faraway, Brian…That dude has staked his claim and come hell or high water he’s sticking to it. Faulty as it is.

He would just as soon sit back in his easy chair and call folks like me a moron, all the while claiming to be on the ‘right’.

He is a fool, as are the rest of the political wimps that are content to sit back and take it from the libs, the RINOs and the folks who haven’t a notion what side they are on.

Nah. Can’t impeach the “historic” president. He’d still garner too much default pity from the sentimental gen public – regardless of his disastrous performance. Accomplishes nothing beyond squandering political gains the left has dropped in their lap. Media would be turning cartwheels and portray it as the worst racist atrocity since James Byrd. The zero-info voters would turn on the GOP. Border crisis/Iraq/VA/IRS would be pushed into the background.

After reading that article, it is quite obvious that Cruz believes that Obama deserves impeachment…he is merely stating that 1) it is up to the house to file articles of impeachment, and 2) there is no way that a democratic controlled senate would vote to ratify the impeachment.

As a sitting Senator, he needs to be a bit more circumspect about his opinions than does a private citizen such as Sarah Palin.

Fear her Bonehead.If she runs third party you and your Gonadless Old Party are history!

redware on July 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM

They already are history. Thad Cochran took care of that when he bought all of those illegal democrat votes in the last election.

Thad will lose his seat, the ‘R’s will fail to take the Senate, and the beat will go on and on and on and on…..

Spineless cowards are the base of the Republicans. Conservatives will only be a factor when they stick to their principles and vote only for like minded candidates. Right now, there is no difference between a dem or a rep. They are all dishonest and porking out at the trough with folks like us cheering them on.

redware on July 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM,
I agree, if Sarah Palin goes Rogue and starts a new party the Karl Rove , Bush GOP establishment is finished . Sarah Palin almost has nothing to lose by doing this .

Ted Cruz is no reformer, remember that Ted Cruz endorsed Jeb Bush ‘s son and stayed on the sidelines in the MS Sen race .

Unaffiliated4P on July 9, 2014 at 6:23 PM

He’s also calling for an investigation into the Cochran mess.

Cruz has to work with other senators, who already don’t like him. They’re already rumbling about whether he should be removed as VP of the NRSC because he’s calling for an investigation into the Cochran campaign.

I think the Mississippi Senate race is the canary in the coal mine. If the GOP ignores the anger from the base over their tactics to lock out the Tea Party, then they may win the battle, but they’ll lose the war. They won’t get control of the Senate. But then, the kind of people who would get elected as Republicans would be useless to conservatives, anyway.

If they realize how badly they screwed up in Mississippi and ease Cochran out of the race, then we might have a reason to vote Republican in the general election. Otherwise, you might as well vote “none of the above” in November.

Redford on July 9, 2014 at 5:10 PM ,
You are lib troll with the Robert Redford avatar that bashes Palin on sites like Real Clear Politics . Ruexpierience is another Palin basher .

Unaffiliated4P on July 9, 2014 at 5:45 PM

You don’t have a clue what you are saying. I was one of Palin’s biggest supporters until SHE decided to quit her real job and become a celebrity making millions. I don’t care if she makes $$, but she does NOT represent me nor millions of others people who vote. Palin is despised by a huge majority of people not only in the GOP, but Independents. I have not found one Palin supporter since the day she quit. Shame too…but she was a gifted politician, but it was her choice to leave the political arena.

You don’t have a clue what you are saying. I was one of Palin’s biggest supporters until SHE decided to quit her real job and become a celebrity making millions. I don’t care if she makes $$, but she does NOT represent me nor millions of others people who vote. Palin is despised by a huge majority of people not only in the GOP, but Independents. I have not found one Palin supporter since the day she quit. Shame too…but she was a gifted politician, but it was her choice to leave the political arena.

Redford on July 9, 2014 at 6:52 PM

You don’t get around the GOP then, much, do you? Palin is almost revered within the GOP rank and file. What you’re saying is simply garbage, and I think you know it. How does someone become despised when she remains one of the 10 most admired women in America in the last Gallup poll.

Establishment Republicans and Bushies hate Palin, but they’re the ones who ran the GOP into the ground.

I believe too that Obama should be impeached, convicted and removed from office, however, the timing is not right.
The focus for the R’s should be on taking the Senate and keeping the majority in Congress. It should be an easy task with less than 4 months to mid terms,however, idiots like Boehner probably will F things up.